The Receiver

Release

Noah Narration:

" Giver?" Asking the next afternoon "Do you ever think about release?"

" Do you mean my own release or just the general topic?"

" Both I guess, I should have been more precise but I don't know exactly what I mean"

"Sit back up, no need to lie down while we're talking, I guess I do think about it occasionally, about my own release when I'm in an awful lot of pain. I wish I could put a request for it, but I'm not permitted to do that until the new Receiver is trained"

It was clear to me what a terrible difficult and lonely life it was, despite the honor

"I can't request release either, it was in my rules" the giver laughed harshly "I know that, they hammered out those rules after the failure ten years ago"

"Giver tell me what happened"

"On the surface it was quite similar a receiver to be selected, the way you were. The new Receiver was puzzled and frightened as you were"

I knew it was a female because my parents told, As I thought about Amelia I shivered. I wouldn't want her to suffer the way he had, taking on the memories. What was she like?"

The giver looked sad " She was a remarkable young woman, very self possessed and serene, Intelligent, eager to learn. Her name was Rosemary. Her training began she received well. I had to transfer her the pain, five weeks that's all it took. She wanted to experience everything, she knew that it was her responsibility so she asked for the difficult memories. I didn't give her physical pain but loneliness and loss... but after she knew about pain, I could see it in her eyes. She came over to me and kissed me on the cheek, she left that day and did not go back to dwelling. I was notified by the speaker that she had gone directly to the Chief Elder and asked to be release. It was in your rules but not hers"

So that was the failure, it was obvious that it saddened the giver, but it didn't seem such a terrible thing. I would do it myself but I don't blame her imagining all the sorrow she had to go through.